Health Issues
by The Tin Dogs Bollocks
Summary: The metacrisis is supposed to be an exact replica of the Doctor, only missing the heart, but one less heart makes a big difference. As the cracks begin to show Rose takes matters into her own hands and contacts the only other human doctor she knows.
1. Out Of Breath

**Disclaimer: Someone thought that it's high time I start putting disclaimers on my work even though it's pretty freaking obvious that I don't own Doctor Who. Mainly because I wasn't born when it first started back in the day and... well... I'm poor. I do own a David Tennant cut out though. **

**Synopsis: ****The Doctor's clone is an exact duplicate, the only difference being that he is human - meaning he only has one heart. However, after 'living' for 900 odd years with two, it isn't long before he begins to feel the strain. Rose knows there's something wrong even if he won't admit it himself. When he shows no sign of listening to what she has to say even after she has banned him from Torchwood, she decides its high time she looks for someone he will listen to. The problem then is convincing this person that the Doctor is not just another regular patient. **

**A/N: So, here's my attempt at a Handy fic. It might seem like it's Ten/Rose, but it's not. She's just there. As is Jackie, Pete, a couple of arsey people who work for Torchwood and a couple of familiar faces. I hope you enjoy it anyway - don't expect any Ten/Rose babies or any soppy stuff as I don't promote Ten/Rose at all. To be honest, I found the whole thing quite naseating. Anyway, enough rambling - enjoy :D**

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**Health Issues**

**1 - Out of Breath**

The Doctor's clone was the Doctor. There were no doubts about it. He spoke the same, moved the same, had the same questionable obsession with bananas and hatred of pears. The differences were hard to spot in the beginning. The odd peculiar word would slip out in his speech – Donna's words – and he would get a little rowdy if something happened that he disagreed with. Not that that was anything new, the Doctor had always gotten a little sulky when he didn't get his way, but this was different. It was more childish. But that wasn't the serious thing.

The serious problem was when he started to get out of breath.

For a long time he was okay. But then gradually his exhaustion began to show. While out with Rose on a mission for Torchwood they found themselves chasing a Level 12 immigrant through the sewers beneath Piccadilly Circus. Rose had known something was wrong when she was in front of the Doctor.

'Come on!' she yelled back to him, slightly breathless herself. 'We're losing it!'

'I'm… coming…' the Doctor panted, face red with the excursion. 'Just… keep going… Don't wait for… me…'

The Doctor didn't get breathless. He didn't get worn out. Rose knew immediately that it was serious, so she stopped. The Level 12 got away, but she didn't care. Going back to the Doctor – her persistent, stubborn Doctor – she saw just how exhausted he was.

'You look terrible.' She informed him.

He was doubled over with his hands on his knees, panting like he had just attempted to sprint up the side of Mount Everest. 'I'm… fine…'

His lie was obvious. She moved closer to him, but didn't make any attempt to help him. She didn't want him to know that he was in need of help. He didn't like feeling helpless. 'You're out of breath.' She pointed out.

'It's just…' He stood up and took another large gulp of air. 'I'm fine. Just… the air is thin down here. Not used to it.' He offered her a wide smile, but the gasps that rushed in and out of his stretched lips did little to comfort her. 'We've lost him.' He remarked in an attempt to change the subject. 'We should head back up top. Maybe we'll catch him trying to make his way back above ground.'

Rose eyed him uncertainly. She didn't want to push him into telling her what was wrong, but she also didn't like the way his chest was rising and falling so rapidly. 'We might as well just head home,' she said as casually as she could. She glanced at her watch. 'Sun's going to be up in a couple of hours. He'll be hiding.'

The Doctor nodded in agreement. This proved there was something wrong; the Doctor never gave up. 'You're probably right.' He agreed. 'I think I need some shut eye.'

They headed back along the dark and ranking sewer in silence. Both of them knew the problem that hung in the air, but neither wanted to mention it. The subject remained closed until they reached the ladder that would take them back above ground.

'It's your heart, isn't it?' Rose said, trying to hide her worry. She had suspected the problem for a while now, but she had found it hard to summon up the courage to mention it.

The look the Doctor gave her said everything. His eyes were sad, but still he smiled. 'What, this thing?' He patted his chest with a pale hand. 'Nah. Ticking along lovely. Although it was better having two. Not that I ever had two, you see. Just the memory. Still, the memory of having two was better than having one.' He saw the sorrow in her eyes and ignored it. 'Better keep it down when we get in, eh? Don't fancy having Jackie tossing shoes at me again. Wasn't my fault someone left that table so close to the front door. Bloody death trap that house is. I never let the TARDIS get that dangerous.'

Rose smiled slightly. 'It was only when you stepped outside when it got dangerous.'

He grinned, eyes glazing over with the memory. 'Ah yes.' He sighed. 'Miss that TARDIS.' He stood for a moment, just remembering, and then stepped aside and offered Rose the ladder. 'Go on then! Up you get! The stink down here is making my nose hairs evaporate.'

Rose mounted the ladder and climbed up. She heard the Doctor following. They had barely gotten half way up before he started gasping again. She tried her best not to think about it, but she couldn't shake it. She knew that would only get worse. And she knew that it was going to be the end of him.


	2. Up In The Air

**2 - ****Up In The Air**

He didn't know she was watching him. Probably for the best really because he would have only gotten embarrassed and flustered, and when he got in that state he went on a more insane ramble than usual. So Rose stayed silent and watched through the gap in the door.

The Doctor was sitting on the edge of the bed with his back to her, facing the window that looked out upon the grand gardens of Pete Tyler's mansion – the place they both now called home. He had the stethoscope plugged into his ears and had the other end pressed against his chest. He moved it around, listening intently for about two minutes. Then with an angrily exhale and a light curse, he ripped the stethoscope off his ears and tossed it across the room. Rose watched him lean forward, elbows on his knees, and hang his head.

She wanted to go in to comfort him, but she knew he wouldn't have it. He would pretend there was nothing wrong as usual, and probably try and prove it by talking her into going on another wild goose chase for Torchwood. She watched him, heartbroken at the self-pity she could feel emitting from the room, and then put her hand on the door handle.

'Sweetheart?' her mothers tentative voice said from behind. 'Are you okay?'

Rose turned and glanced over her shoulder, and then gently closed the door. 'Yeah,' she said, turning around and smiling. 'Fine. What's wrong?'

'Oh nothing,' Jackie Tyler smiled and shrugged her little shoulders. 'Me and your dad are just going to pop out for a bit with Tony. Just wondering if the two of you wanted to tag along? There won't be any nasty aliens to chase or families to rescue from burning buildings or anything but…' She trailed off as her mother's instinct kicked in. 'Are you sure there's nothing wrong, love?'

Rose glanced away to the floor and half smiled. 'Nothing.' She lied. 'I was just coming to see what the Doctor was doing.'

'Bet he's still in bed, the lazy sod.' Jackie joked. 'Never pulls his weight around this place. Never thought he would be a welfare bum.'

Rose frowned vaguely. 'He's not.' She said, defensively.

'I know, love. I was just kidding.' She stood and regarded her daughter for a moment. 'Are you sure you don't want to come along? Might be nice for you to get a bit fresh air that isn't from running around for that bloody Torchwood. They work you too hard, if you ask me. Both of you.'

Rose nodded. 'I think you're right.' She paused. 'Mum, I think that maybe there's something wrong with-'

The bedroom door behind her swung open and the Doctor appeared. He blinked at the two women in the hallway, surprised at their presence, and then smiled. 'Well, good morning ladies.' He beamed as he finished buttoning up his shirt. 'We're in a house with over twenty bedrooms and yet the two of you still insist on hanging around outside of mine. Lucky man, me.'

Jackie screwed up her nose. 'Don't flatter yourself, sunshine.' She nodded to Rose and lifted an eyebrow. 'And see if you can cheer her face up a little, will you? Been trying to get her to come out with us but she's got a face like a bulldog chewing on a wasp. The pair of you should take it easy. Go to the pictures or something.'

The Doctor glanced to Rose looking slightly concerned, but she just looked away. 'Don't worry, Jackie,' he smiled. 'I'm sure we'll find something interesting to help waste the day.'

'No aliens?' Jackie frowned, placing a hand on her hip.

'Cross my hearts,' the Doctor replied, drawing a cross on his chest with his finger.

'Heart.' Rose corrected, and then headed away down the corridor without another word.

The Doctor watched her go in confusion before turning to Jackie. 'What's the matter?' he asked. 'Have I done something?'

Jackie looked at him solemnly. 'I think you know what the problem is.' She said quietly. She looked at him knowingly for a moment longer before turning and heading down the stairs. The Doctor watched after Jackie, and then looked after Rose. He contemplated going after her. They would have to talk this out sooner or later. Sooner rather than later, taking what he had just heard with his stethoscope.

He went down the stairs instead. He couldn't quite face it. Not yet, anyway. It could wait a little longer.


	3. Higher Authority

**3 - Higher Authority**

'What do you mean _I'm not allowed_?' the Doctor demanded angrily, glaring at the dark haired woman with a stare that had made some races turn and flee in terror. 'Do you know who I am? You can't give me orders!'

'I know fine well who you are, _Doctor_,' the woman said his name with a hint of distaste. 'And I'm afraid I can give you orders. Since you agreed to work alongside Torchwood you fall under my rule. I received a suggestion that you are unfit for field duty and I am acting upon it.'

The Doctor looked at her in astonishment. She was only a small woman; she came up to his chest and had a thin, almost frail figure. She looked like a child playing dress up in her Torchwood uniform, which was a black trouser suit with the Torchwood 'T' embroided on her blazer pocket. Her name was Winona Hartman, and the Doctor was starting to think that he hated her, which was a first for him.

'I'm not another one of your little drones, Mrs Hartman-'

'It's Miss.' She said, expression unchanging.

'I'm not surprised!' the Doctor cried. 'The bleeding attitude you've got! Anyway, I never agreed to _join_ Torchwood. I merely offered experience because, let's be honest, your lot couldn't tell the difference between a .86 Thurgot Detonator and a hairdryer before I turned up! And you won't exactly get much field experience sitting in that office of yours and barking orders.'

Hartman's expression still didn't change. She was like a toy soldier. 'The order came from a higher authority.' She replied. 'Even if I didn't agree with it I would still have to follow. I'm sorry, Doctor, but as far as Torchwood is concerned you are not to be involved with anymore field missions.'

The Doctor gaped at her for a long time, completely shocked by the revelation. They were saying he, the Doctor – the Oncoming Storm; the Destroyer of Worlds – wasn't good enough to chase down a few alien strays? Where did they get that idea? Hartman started to turn away but the Doctor grabbed her arm. She looked at his hand like it was covered in blisters.

'Please, don't touch me.' She said, prying his hand away with a grimace.

'Who gave that order?' the Doctor demanded. 'I want to take this up with them.'

'I imagined you would.' Hartman said, a faintly malicious smile teasing her mouth. 'I believe the order came from Miss Rose Tyler. Feel free to take it up with her.'

With the bombshell dropped, Winona Hartman turned and walked away, her heels clicking on the smooth, polished floor. The Doctor gaped after her, for perhaps the first time in his life left completely speechless.

* * *

Rose closed her eyes and sighed when she heard the front door of the house slam shut and the Doctor's voice ring out around her. She glanced across the kitchen counter to Jackie, who only raised her eyebrows innocently and returned her attention to feeding her baby son, Tony. Rose watched them, not wanting to get into the inevitable argument that was storming his way along the corridor towards the kitchen, but knowing she had to face it sooner or later.

'Just be a minute, mum,' she said, to Jackie.

'Okay, love.' She half smiled in response, and then watched in concern as Rose headed out of the large kitchen and pulled the door shut behind her.

The Doctor saw her and stopped his approach. He opened his mouth to speak, but found he had nothing to say. He frowned, pointed behind him, and then opened his mouth again. 'Miss Hartman!' he cried. 'That… God awful woman!'

Rose lifted her eyebrows. 'What?'

'She reckons that you told her that I was unfit for field duty!' the Doctor said as if it was the most ridiculous thing in the world. 'I've fought wars! Saved civilisations! She's saying I'm not fit enough to run through bleeding London on a cold day! Where the heck did she get that from? Snotty cow… Sorry, I didn't mean that. No, I did. She's a snotty cow and I don't like her. There, I said it.' He crossed his arms stubbornly.

Rose regarded him for a moment, and then sighed. 'I did say that.'

He blinked at her. 'I'm sorry, for a moment there I thought you said you did say that.'

Rose sighed and ran her fingers through her blonde hair. 'Look, Doctor. I know you're going to go off on one but I had to! You know fine well why I said it!'

The Doctor stared at her for a long moment. 'Since when have you been my _boss_, anyway?'

'Since you joined Torchwood!' Rose told him, sternly. 'When you arrived here you agreed to join, and since I'm practically the highest ranking person there, _I'm_ your boss. And _I_ say that you're not fit enough to be out on the streets. At least until you go to the hospital.'

The Doctor snorted. 'That's ridiculous. I don't know why everyone seems to think I even _joined _Torchwood. In case you forget, I frown upon Torchwood after the tricks they got up to back across the trans-dimensional wall. I'm only here to make sure nothing like that happens again! And why would I need to go to a hospital?'

'To see a cardiologist.' Rose said, softly.

The Doctor blinked again, and then his expression dropped. 'What?' He laughed unconvincingly. 'Why would I have to go see one of them? I'm fine! Never been better!'

'Don't.' Rose frowned. 'Just…' She stopped and rubbed her head. 'I don't want you getting involved with anything at Torchwood until you've been checked out.'

'But Rose, I don't need-'

'That's all I'm saying on it.' Rose interrupted. 'You know fine well that you need to go there. You know what'll happen if you keep on diving around with the problems you've been having? You'll have a heart attack.'

The Doctor laughed and looked away. 'Rose, I can't have a heart attack. I'm-'

'You're _human_.' Rose reminded him angrily. 'You're a _human being_ now. Which means you can have a heart attack. And if you die, you won't be coming back.' She stared at him for a long moment. 'So I suggest you do something about it.' She turned unceremoniously and headed back into the kitchen.

The Doctor sighed. 'Rose, look-'

She closed the door, cutting them off from one another.


	4. Nightcap

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who's faved and reviewed! :D I have to admit I'm upsetting myself by clanging Handy's funeral bells like this lol. But anyway, I hope you're enjoying it, despite the depressed-ness. **

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**4 – Nightcap**

The Doctor's favourite room in Pete Tyler's mansion was the study. He couldn't even say himself why it was his favourite; there was nothing spectacular about it. The décor wasn't particularly stylish or cosy. If anything it was a little cold. Tall oak bookshelves covered every wall but the back one and stretched all the way up to the high ceiling. Every single book on the shelves were leather bound, so even the spines failed to break the dark brown colour of the room. The desk was overly large taking it only held a laptop and a photo frame, and the high backed, brown leather chair looked like it had just been wheeled out of some evil overlord's office on special delivery. Behind that there was a large window that looked out onto the vast back garden on the property. The east wing of the house seemed to be in the perfect place to block out the sun at every minute of the day, so the room was constantly dim and shadowy. No one else particularly liked the room. Rose said it was depressing. Jackie said it was creepy. Pete said it was just for show. The Doctor thought it was peaceful. It was quiet.

He stood at the window, watching the last of daylight departing and tried his best to keep his mind blank. He didn't want to think about the revelations of the day and Rose's morbid premonitions. He just wanted to do what he did best, and the only way he could do that was at Torchwood, as much as he hated the place. It was frustrating that now he couldn't even pop in to see what the newest goose-chase was all about; Rose had cut him off completely. Steve and Andy, the two doormen, refused to even let him back into the building earlier. It was ridiculous. All that fuss just because Rose was feeling particularly health conscious?

'Nonsense.' He muttered.

But it wasn't nonsense. He just wanted it to be nonsense.

The Doctor turned away from the window and sat down in the evil-overlord chair. The shadows were heavy now and all colours (well, the dark brown of the room and the blue of his suit were the only colours around) had turned a murky, ghostly grey. It did little to lift his mood. Perhaps he should go up and see Rose. She was probably upset.

_Why should I?_ He thought selfishly. _After all, it's _me_ who has the potentially life-ending problem. It should be _me_ who's upset. She should be down here trying to make _me_ feel better!_

He exhaled sharply out of his nose and rubbed his forehead. You would think becoming human would make it easier to understand them. Just seems to make it harder.

He didn't glance up when he heard the study door creak open. He assumed it was Rose, coming to pester him again about going to the hospital. He couldn't be bothered with the confrontation.

'Okay, Rose,' he sighed. 'You win. I'll phone them in the morning.'

'Phone who?' a male voice replied. 'Samaritans? This place is depressing enough to kill a boxful of fluffy kittens.'

The Doctor glanced up in surprise to see Pete Tyler in the doorway. He was rarely around these days – he was working a lot at Cybus Industries, still in the process of rebuilding its reputation after the incident with the Cybermen a few years ago. Seemed like such a long time ago now. The Doctor still felt a little awkward around him, for reasons he didn't know. Probably just for the simple reason that he was Rose's father. He needed respect.

'Looks like you're doing a hell of a job feeling sorry for yourself.' Pete commented, glancing around at the darkened room. 'Mind if I join you?'

The Doctor gestured to the empty seat on the other side of the desk. 'It's your house.'

'Looks like you've laid claim to this room though, mate.' Pete closed the door behind him and crossed the room, his smart clicking on the smooth wooden floor. He sat down with a heavy sigh and glanced at the Doctor. 'You got woman troubles too?'

The Doctor half smiled and rubbed the bridge of his nose. 'Something like that.'

Pete nodded. 'Jackie wants me to get a Jacuzzi in the back garden. She's a stubborn bugger, I can tell you. I mean, Jackie – the _other_ Jackie, y'know? She was the same. Actually… when I think about it she was worse. She wouldn't ask, she'd just take. Still though, a Jacuzzi in the middle of winter? What's wrong with the one in the second floor bathroom anyway?'

The Doctor shifted in his seat. 'Jackie's the kind of person who would buy a bag of ice cubes in the Antarctic.'

Pete chuckled. 'Yeah, tell me about it.' He sat for a moment, regarding the Doctor. 'So what's got your goat? Rose having a go at you?'

The Doctor shifted again. He had never been comfortable with this 'sharing troubles' stuff. He had never realised how often humans do it. Seemed like a big competition to him; a 'my troubles are worse than yours' kind of thing. He didn't understand how that was supposed to make anyone feel any better.

'Oh just… work stuff.'

'Ah,' Pete nodded overenthusiastically. 'Torchwood.' He paused. 'Hate the place.'

'Me too.' The Doctor agreed, smiling.

'Tell you what, mate,' Pete said. 'Stick your hand in that bottom drawer and get that bottle out, will you?'

The Doctor pulled open the bottom drawer and sure enough a bottle of whiskey stared out at him. He chuckled and lifted it out, pushing it across the desk to Pete. 'You know what kind of men hide alcohol in their desks.'

'Yeah,' Pete snorted, unscrewing the cap. 'Stressed ones. Want some?'

'No thanks. Shouldn't. Apparently I need to go to the hospital.'

Pete arched an eyebrow and took a swig from the bottle. He grimaced as he swallowed. 'Hospital?' he echoed. 'What for?'

The Doctor rolled his eyes. 'Rose thinks I have heart problems. Which is ridiculous. I'm absolutely fine! I mean really, me of all the people in the world with a heart problem.' He blew out through his nose. 'Bonkers.'

Pete studied him for a moment. 'Wouldn't hurt to check though, would it?'

The Doctor glanced back to him. 'But why should I? There's nothing wrong with me.'

Pete sighed as he fiddled with the cap off the bottle. 'Look, mate. I know how it feels. Couple of years back Jackie started pestering me into going for one of those prostate exam things. Hated the idea and just danced around it for months but she kept on, kept nagging and nagging. In the end I realised I didn't want to go because I was terrified they would find something, y'know? I went in the end, just to shut her up mainly. Nothing was wrong. All in her head.' He took another swig from the bottle. 'Just go and get whatever she wants you to. If there's nothing wrong you can get on as normal.'

'And if there is? Something wrong, I mean.'

Pete shrugged. 'Then you'll just have to work it out. Better to find out yourself than for it to take you by surprise.'

The Doctor nodded, frowning thoughtfully.

'Look, mate,' Pete leaned forward and rubbed his chin with one hand. In the dim light he looked younger – like he had done when the Doctor and Rose had met him the first time in 1987. 'I haven't known Rose for very long. She's my daughter, I believe that completely, but if we're all honest I've only really _known_ her for about four years. One thing I do know about her though is that she's smart. She's _really_ smart. And if she thinks there's something wrong… well… let's just say I haven't seen her get worked up over nothing.'

The Doctor stared down at the desk and said nothing.

'You know yourself what she's like,' Pete went on. 'Probably better than I do.' He paused to take another drink. 'I was here when she got stuck here the first time. I was with her while she got over what had happened. I was here, watching, while she put all her time – and all my money may I add – into getting back to finding you. All her work and determination paid off because… well, there you are. _Here_ you are. And what's better she got her very own version of you. Y'know, I don't mean it cheeky or anything but you're human. You can both live normal lives. Well, I say _normal_…' He paused again and sighed. 'The thought of losing you for the second time is just out of the question to her. Imagine if the tables were turned. How would you react then?'

The Doctor remained silent and continued to look down at the table, the gears whirring in his mind. Pete sat and looked at him for a long time, and then had one last swig from the bottle.

'Well, it's late,' he said, screwing the cap on the bottle. 'And if I sit in this room a minute longer I think I might have to jam this bottle in my eye.' He stood up and looked around. 'Maybe some curtains would brighten the place up…' he thought aloud. 'Or a nice rug. Anyway… goodnight, Doctor. Hope I didn't depress you even more.'

The Doctor forced a smile. 'No,' he lied. 'Course not. Night, Pete.'

Pete nodded and winked, before turning and leaving the study. The Doctor sat and looked at the bottle he had left behind, a shaft of moonlight hitting the neck and spreading out across the desk. He hesitated, and reached out for it.


	5. The Whole Truth

**A/N: God this was a depressing chapter to write. Sorry people, but if you're looking for something to cheer yourselves up with then don't look for it here. Just nearly made myself cry I did :(**

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**5 – The Whole Truth**

Rose woke up with a headache. Well, she didn't so much wake up as sit up. She had been awake for about six hours now, but she had been waiting until her alarm clock said a sensible time before she decided to climb out of her bed. She figured there was no point moping around downstairs in the middle of the night – she probably would have only managed to wake someone up and manage to spread the moping. Lying in bed and moping was a much better plan. Actually, the ideal plan would have been not moping and just sleeping. Apparently her brain wouldn't allow it.

She pulled on a pink t-shirt and a pair of grey jeans that had been piled behind her door a few days ago and set out onto the landing. She stood for a moment and listened. The house was silent, but that wasn't exactly unusual for six thirty in the morning. Tony normally waited until about seven to wake everyone with his gurgling. It was surprising how far his little voice could stretch in such a big house. That gave her about half an hour to knock back as many cups of coffee as she could before Jackie got up and told her how terrible she looked.

Better get started.

Rose stopped outside of the Doctor's room. It had never occurred to either of them to actually share a bedroom. Rose didn't particularly feel the need too. Sometimes he came into hers and sometimes she went into his – but it was always an unspoken act. Jackie loved to point out how strange their relationship was. They didn't act like a couple; they didn't even really _class_ themselves as a couple. But they had moments. That's all they were really, just moments. What were you supposed to do with a clone of a nine hundred-odd year old Time Lord? Go to the cinema? Go out for meals at the Italian place down the road? Watch movies and eat pizza?

It didn't seem right to Rose. It just seemed… well… wrong.

With a sigh, she knocked lightly on the door and pushed it open. She wasn't surprised to see that the room was empty. It didn't even look like he had been in bed. Perhaps what she had said the night before had finally hit home. She kind of hoped she would go downstairs and find him on the phone to the hospital, making an appointment for later that day, but she knew that she was more likely to find him baking Dalek shaped cookies in the kitchen. Still, she checked. The phone sat untouched. Last call had been to Jackie's phone yesterday when she had been unable to find it.

The kitchen beckoned. Aspirin and coffee were calling for her, promising to rid her of the evil headache that was trying to drag her off into a dark room to sit and brood the day away. She fought both; the headache and its cure, and carried on down to the study. The Doctor would definitely be there. He seemed to spend most of his free time in that creepy and depressing place. Rose resented having to go in, but she did anyway.

The heavy oak door creaked nosily and a wave of nostalgia coursed over her. Seemed like every creaky door reminded her of the TARDIS, but this one managed to make her flinch every time. For a moment she wondered if that was why the Doctor liked the study so much. When she actually looked around she saw why that could be possible. In the dim morning light the bookshelves did seem to loom over the room like a dome. A rail ran halfway up from where the ladder wheeled back and forth – like the catwalk in the console room. Something else that had always struck Rose as peculiar about the room was the surprise you felt when you stepped inside. It always seemed bigger than you expected it to be.

'Doctor?' she said, tentatively. The high backed chair by the window was facing away and she couldn't see if he was there. It was likely that he had fallen asleep in the chair. A sudden horrific thought washed over her.

_What if he's dead_?

She pushed it away as quickly as it had arrived and cleared her throat. 'Doctor?' she said again. 'Are you in here?'

The chair didn't move, so she moved towards it to check for herself. As she approached the desk though, the light hit the empty glass bottle. She frowned and picked it up. There wasn't even enough inside to fill a thimble. She held it as she reached out to turn the chair around. It was empty.

Okay, now it was time to worry.

* * *

With a white beanie hat pulled down over her wild morning hair and Jackie's blue coat wrapped around her, Rose had set off to search the gardens. A search of the house had proven unsuccessful, and if she hadn't been so worried she would have been angry at having to stretch it to the garden; it was freezing cold and the brightness was making her head hurt even more. All of that seemed unimportant though. The fact that the Doctor was probably stumbling around out here somewhere, drunk as a skunk and with a heart that she suspected could just pack in at any given moment made a lot of things seem unimportant.

She had been searching for about ten minutes when she finally heard his voice. It floated along on the breeze and seemed to whip around her, disorientating her for a moment. Finally she managed to pinpoint the source and made her way towards it as quick as she could. That didn't turn out to be very fast taking she was wearing Pete's shoes (they had been the first ones she had grabbed at the door) and scrambled up one of the steep banks that surrounded their garden. When she made it over the top, head throbbing worse than ever and cold air stinging her nose and lungs, she saw him sitting cross legged with his back to her. He had his blue jacket pulled over the top of his head and his left arm was flitting about in the air like he was conducting some invisible orchestra that spanned the vast, empty field that stretched out before him. That wasn't the peculiar thing, though. The peculiar thing was that he was singing. It was a song Rose had never heard before – probably because it wasn't English. It wasn't even _human_. But that didn't matter; it was still a beautiful song. Even with the Doctor dropping in and out of tune every now and then it was beautiful. She stood and listened, waiting for herself to recover from the trek. Surprisingly, listening to him made her headache melt away. After a few minutes, she decided to make her presence known.

'Doctor, what are you doing up here?' she asked.

The Doctor glanced around at her, looking ridiculous with his jacket pulled up over his head. His face was pale and he looked sickly. His eyes had purple rings around them. Just from looking at his face, Rose was quite sure he had been sitting there all night. He looked at her, and then spluttered with laughter.

'Oh Rose, Rose Tyler,' he giggled. 'Even when you look ridiculous you look lovely.'

Rose frowned and wrapped her arms around herself. 'I'm quite aware of how stupid I look, thank you,' she snapped. 'I shoved on the first things I got my hands on because I thought… I don't know what I thought! I thought I was going to find you frozen solid in a ditch! You drank that whole bottle of whiskey, didn't you?'

The Doctor chuckled again. 'Did you know your dad hides bottle of whiskey around? Not surprised, having to deal with Jackie.'

Rose scowled. 'Watch it, mate.'

'Sorry, sorry.' He sniggered like a schoolchild and then shuffled around on his bottom so he was facing her. 'So, Miss Tyler, what can I do for you?' He desperately attempted to keep a straight face, but failed and began giggling again.

Rose rolled her eyes and shook her head. 'I don't believe you. Look at the state of you. You're a mess.'

'I wouldn't be calling anyone a mess if I were wearing those shoes, matey.' The Doctor sniggered, and then shook his head. 'Sorry, sorry… think that was a bit of Donna seeping through there. Been trying to keep that under wraps. Comes out more with alcohol, apparently. You should have come out earlier! I belted out a brilliant version of Club Tropicana. I think that was thanks to Donna because I can't recall ever sitting through the whole song before in my life.'

'Get up.' Rose said sternly. 'Get up and get inside before you catch pneumonia.'

The Doctor sighed and leaned back on his hands, allowing his head to flop back so he could stare up at the sky. 'Came out here to see the stars.' He told her, ignoring her demand for him to get up. 'I can still name all of them. Noticed three that I never got to see.' He sighed heavily. 'I miss the TARDIS. Do you miss the TARDIS, Rose? I bet you do. Miss her loads, me. I miss everyone. Miss Donna, miss Martha, miss Sarah-Jane. I even miss Jack. The strange thing is though… the strange this is that they were never mine. I remember them all. All the places I went. All those planets. All my ten lives. I remember everything, but they never happened to me. Is it right that I should miss it if it never happened to me?'

Rose watched him, eyes filling up with tears but refusing to let a single one of them to escape. She wanted to say something, but she couldn't think of anything to say.

'I'm not _really_ the Doctor,' he said, screwing up his nose and speaking like he was expressing a mild distaste for something. 'I mean, not really. I haven't done half the things he has. Only met you for the first time in the TARDIS when we were taking the Earth back.' He chuckled. 'That was fun, wasn't it? It was good to see the old girl full like that.' He was silent, a small smile on his face. He sat forward again with a sigh and put his jacket on properly. 'All gone now though. Just me and you.'

Rose looked down and wiped her eyes, unable to meet his gaze. The Doctor regarded her sadly for a while, looking like he was about to cry himself, and then pushed himself to his feet. He stood there for a moment, swaying a little. He looked like he was going to say something, but decided against it. He walked right past Rose, his head down, and made his way down the slope back towards the house. Rose stayed where she was, tears streaking her face. After a moment she went and sat in the spot he had been sitting, and hung her head.


	6. A Helping Hand

**6 – A Helping Hand**

'There,' Jackie said triumphantly as she walked into the kitchen, dusting her hands together. 'Gave him an ear bashing Mike Tyson would be proud of. Silly sod, getting tanked up like that. He's coughing and sneezing too. Serves him right if you ask me. You should go up and finish him off while that smart mouth of his is down.'

Rose had hardly heard a word Jackie had said. She stared down into her coffee and drew small invisible rings on the workbench with her finger. 'Mmm.'

'Oh and your dad's not getting off lightly either,' Jackie said, taking a seat opposite her daughter at the counter. 'Hiding bottles of whiskey around? What on Earth is he doing that for? The only thing I can think of is that other version of me must have been a right handful. Men. Bloody wrong they are. Sometimes I think we'll be better off without them.'

Rose frowned slightly at her own thoughts. 'Mum…' She paused, thinking how to go on.

'Yes, love?'

'Do you… do you think of the Doctor as… y'know _the_ Doctor?'

Jackie nodded. 'Yes.' She said without hesitation. 'Of course. He still talks to me like I've got the brain of a toad and he's still incredibly rude so, yes. He's the Doctor alright.'

Rose nodded slightly, but the reply didn't wipe away the frown from her brow. Jackie sighed and reached across the table, taking her hand. 'It's just…' Rose sighed and rubbed her head with her free hand. 'I always think about how I felt when I first got stuck here. It was so hard to adjust being out of the TARDIS. Trying to squeeze myself back into a normal life. You were there, you saw how hard it was.'

Jackie nodded sympathetically and allowed her to carry on.

'But with the Doctor… He spent practically his whole live travelling. And not just a daft sixty-odd years, it was over nine hundred years. Imagine being able to go wherever and _when_ever you want for nine hundred years, and then suddenly find yourself stuck in a mansion with a human family without so much as a passport.' She looked up at Jackie. 'Wouldn't that just drive you insane?'

'Oh sweetheart,' Jackie sighed, squeezing Rose's hands. 'He wants to be here with you. Even I could see that on that bloody beach. It's going to take him a while to adjust to the new way of living but he'll manage it eventually. You've just got to be patient with him. Help him along.'

'That's the thing,' Rose sighed, leaning back and pulling her hands into her lap. 'I don't think he wants my help. I've been trying to get him to go to the hospital and he just won't hear any of it.'

'Hospital?' Jackie asked, curiously. 'What's the matter?'

'I think it's his heart,' Rose replied. 'He gets out of breath and… he just _looks_ ill. Just look at him, he looks like he's aged about five years in the past month. He looks terrible.'

'Rose Tyler,' Jackie said jokingly. 'You're not getting shallow, are you?'

Rose cracked a small smile. 'Don't be daft. But seriously… I really think there's something wrong and he won't listen to me at all. I don't know what to do. I can feel him drifting away from me and… and I don't think I can bring him back.'

Jackie sighed and looked down at the workbench. 'Have you spoke to him about it?'

'I've tried.' Rose replied. 'But he doesn't want to listen. Thinks there's nothing wrong with him. I don't think he understands that now that he's human these things can happen to him. Mum, I'm so terrified of losing him again. I don't know what I would do.'

Jackie reached for her hand again but Rose pulled it away and pushed her hair back with a heavy sigh. 'He'll listen, Rose. He'll listen eventually.'

Rose shook her head. 'I don't think he will. The Doctor… I mean the _original_ Doctor, he said I would be able to help the new one. Like I helped him. But I'm starting to think I can't. Everything is so different and now with this on top…' She trailed off and sighed. 'I need help.'

'Well you know me and your dad are always here to help.' Jackie said, gently.

'No…' Rose shook her head. 'I mean… I need someone he will listen to.' She sat for a moment, trying to decide whether she really wanted to say the thing she was thinking, and decided that she did. 'I think I need Martha Jones.'


	7. Reflection

**A/N: I apologise for the sheer miserable-ness of the first part of this chapter, but I've just been watching 'The Mist' and seriously... most depressing ending ever to anything ever in the world of depressing things. This was the first thing that came out (after the half hour bout of tears lol - I looked like Alice Cooper) so... yep, bit miserable. But still, hope you enjoy it :D**

* * *

**7 – Reflection**

The room was dark. The Doctor spent a lot of time in the dark these days. Not because it matched his mood, nor for any other self-pitying reason, but for the simple fact that the light was beginning to hurt his eyes. It started off small and barely noticeable. A slight migraine when someone turned on a light, a sharp pain behind his eyes when he stepped out in the daylight. He had been denying the truth for a long time, but since that morning on the hill he had realised it was about time he accepted things for what they were. He needed to accept that it was going wrong.

Very wrong.

The corner of the mirror gleamed with the moonlight that came through the window, and even that made him wince when he looked directly at it. He avoided it, and kept his weary eyes trained on his face. He had never expected that face to be his last, though technically it wasn't. His other self would go on to change – regenerate when his luck ran out. But for him this was it. He would watch this face wrinkle and droop; his body grow weaker. The Doctor had always thought of the human aging process as a severely quick process. In the blink of an eye their youth was gone, replaced by nothing but bitterness at not having enough time to do everything they wanted.

He had nothing to complain about. He had seen things that most humans couldn't dream of. Perhaps not with these eyes, but the memories were there. He _did_ see them. That would be enough for any other human, but not this one. He hadn't been ready for it. Probably never would be, with a spirit like his. But he accepted it. It was inevitable. An inevitable thing that no technobabble or insane plans could fix.

He just hadn't counted on it happening this quickly.

Rose would notice soon, if she hadn't already. She was smart. She had cottoned on to his heart problems early on, quite possibly before he even had. But this… well, perhaps she would miss it. But deep down he knew she wouldn't. Even he could see the crows feet growing deeper in the corners of his eyes and the way the skin on the backs of his hands was beginning to thin.

The human aging process was quick, but not this quick.

This was an outcome no one had anticipated. The original Doctor had told Rose that the two of them would age at the same rate, implying that he wouldn't stay young while she grew old. He hadn't even thought of the possibility of…

_Time to face facts,_ he thought morosely. _It's happening. I'm aging too fast_.

It was hard to believe that at one time he had all the time in the universe at his fingertips. Now it was slipping away at an alarming rate.

'Not long now.' He mumbled, and turned away from the mirror with his eyes closed.

* * *

Rose sat at her desk fiddling with the phone cord and tried not to allow her frustration to show through her phone manner. Polite and courteous, she had to remember. People these days were wound up tightly enough without having someone nagging them down the phone. Being rude would only make her wait longer, but being polite might just get her through a little quicker.

Or at least she had thought that thirty minutes ago. Now she was beginning to think that being a bit snappy might get those sackless sods to hurry it up a bit.

_Wow_, Rose thought while listening to some slightly hypnotising elevator-like music. _This Martha Jones is one hard girl to talk to_.

Finally, just as she was about to give up, someone answered.

'Doctor Martha Jones.'

Rose jerked in her seat and consequently knocked the phone base off the desk. She cursed and reached down for it, managing to keep the receiver from following it to the floor.

'Hello?' a slightly bewildered voice enquired.

'I'm here!' Rose said, a little too loudly. She mentally scolded herself and held the phone base on her knee. 'Sorry about that, dropped the phone.'

'It's okay,' Martha Jones, M.D. said pleasantly. 'Sorry that you were on hold for so long but I was in surgery.'

_Surgeon, huh?_ Rose thought distractedly._ Could be useful_.

'How can I help you then, Miss…uh…'

'Tyler,' Rose said. 'Rose Tyler. Yes, I'm just calling to see if I could get some advice from you.'

A pause. 'Okay, but I don't normally give advice to patients on the phone. Wouldn't you be more comfortable taking this up with your GP?'

'Actually… you came recommended.' Rose said, wincing at her choice of words. She had never been good with trying to sound professional on the phone. 'By my da… uh, father. Peter Tyler?'

'Oh, right. Yes of course, I know him.' Rose recognised the new tone in her voice as respect. 'Of course. Okay then, what can I do for you?'

'Actually, it's for a friend,' Rose replied. 'He's been having a few… heart problems recently.'

'Okay, has he been checked already?'

'Well, no. He kind of doesn't want to admit that he has a problem. The Doctor's stubborn like that.' She instantly hit her head with her palm when she realised she had said his name.

Martha chuckled down the other end. 'Well it's true what they say, doctors make the worst patients.'

'You're not wrong there. Anyway… I was wondering… well, it might sound like a really weird question but… um… what would happen if you originally had two hearts and then suddenly wound up with only one?'

A longer pause this time. 'Um…'

'It's more curiosity than anything else,' Rose said quickly, drilling her finger in her temple. 'If you're busy or something then I can just call back later…'

'It's okay. Um… well, if I'm completely honest it's a little… rare. The only way that could possibly happen is if it was a birth defect, but that would mean one was only a dud. Meaning most likely it would just be dead or useless tissue, not really doing the job of supporting a system. Another way would be in conjoined twins, but the two hearts would be pumping blood around two bodies so technically…' She was quiet for a moment, and Rose felt that she could almost feel her thinking. 'But purely speculating – I can't give you a real answer because I've never came across it myself-'

'That's okay.' Rose told her as she chewed anxiously on her sleeve.

'I would have to say that some of the symptoms would be… palpitations? Exhaustion, anaemia, lethargy, loss of appetite, that kind of thing.'

Rose nodded. She was pretty sure she could tick all of those off. 'Right.'

'Can I ask why you're interested in that?' Martha asked, cutting into her thoughts. 'It's just… well, it's a pretty unusual question. I don't normally get stuff like that, if you know what I mean. The questions I'm used to are normally 'is this infected' and 'can you come into the hospital at two am to remove a bucket from someone's head'.'

Rose smiled wanly. 'Martha… or, um… Doctor Jones, rather…'

'Martha is fine.'

'Oh good, cos every time I say Doctor Jones I can't help but think of that _Aqua_ song.' Rose could feel the song rising in her throat, but decided she had made herself sound insane enough without serenading the poor woman.

But Martha just laughed. 'Just please, don't sing the song.'

Rose smiled properly, feeling a lot more relaxed. 'Okay, Martha. Have you ever heard of Torchwood?'

'I think so…' Martha said uncertainly. 'Isn't it… like a military thing?'

Rose scrunched up her nose. 'Kind of. Well, anyway, a man with a Torchwood ID is going to come by and pick you up in about twenty minutes.'

'I'm sorry?'

'Don't worry, Martha.' Rose said, twirling the phone cord around her fingers again and spinning back and forth in her chair. 'Your patients for this afternoon are being covered by a Doctor…' She paused to check the yellow post-it she had stuck on the palm of her hand. 'Rodriguez?'

'Andrew?' Martha replied, confused. 'But he didn't mention any of this and I only saw him…'

'Twenty minutes.' Rose confirmed. 'I'll see you at the other end of the car ride.' She hung up on the sounds of Martha's protests and sat back. She knew that Martha would get in the car. She might not be the same Martha from their universe, but she definitely shared her curiosity. She would come.

She just hoped that she could convince her to help.


End file.
